Solo shade structures

[Pow Pow]

I will be putting up a 2 pole shade structure. Is a medium to heavy duty tarp better or shade cloth for this type of shade structure? Tarp provides better shade but may not do well in high wind whereas shade cloth lets some wind and sun through.

[Token]

Both can work. Each have pro-con.

Two pole limits you to A-frame (Viking Tent) type of design.

Tensile structures are best done with woven shade cloth.

Tensegrity structures (taught rope and poles in push-pull arrangement) can work well with either.

Both require good know-how with ropes and knots.

Strength of pole may also dictate your choice of design.

Post more details please.

[Pow Pow]

I will be taking the Burner Express so that is why 2 poles. I plan on placing the poles diagonal with 2 ties for each pole and then tie down each of the other corners. I have 14 in lag screws for tie downs. Just need to decide on tarp material. Will be either 12 X 12 or 12 X 16 tarp. Based on the research on ePlaya this is the best I could come up with the limitations of Burner Express.

[Token]

Hmm ... two poles in an X configuration are not very strong in any direction of force. Probably the poorest choice as 3 of the 4 triangle it forms are without a hypotenuse.

If two poles is a fixed requirement, better to set them in a stretched out V shape.

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Have them at 45 degrees to vertical, spreading away from each other.

Use a rope to go 45 degrees up to the top of left pole, then go across horizontally to the second pole, then down 45 degrees on the second pole to ground.

This way all the loading on the pole runs down the length of the pole - i.e. the highest strength path of the pole.

Rope takes the rest of the load in they plane.

Your cloth material will provide strength in the orthogonal plane.

[Zubeneschamali]

tarps have degrees of success out there. you'll see a lot of them fitted and stretched across tubular frames with multiple tie down points. personally I don't mind the sound of a taut tarp luffing in the breeze.

But those blue tarps are the devil. They promise everything and deliver on nothing. Please don't, you'll be let down.

Sunshades / sun fabric are a nice approach. They can get you to where you want but fall into a similar packing problem of a good canvas tarp......they are bulky and heavy.

Have you looked up aluminet /alumicloth? might be what you're looking for.

[Popeye]

Not two poles, but when I was taking BE I used a shade structure made of 3/4 EMT and 70% shade cloth. I'd put the supports together in a "swing set" arangement and use conectors like https://creativeshelters.com/canopy-kit ... y?sku=KFRC
Cut the EMT to 5' and it will go on BE in a duffle bag. Tarps/shade cloth seem to be only available in 60 degree configurations. The fittings in 90 and 45 degree. If you heat the fittings with propane you can bend to 60 degrees and everything works a lot better and fittings have not failed yet.
It won't shade the tent much past 11 but I'm out by then anyway. It worked well enough that neighbors would hang out there in the morning.
I've got one of these https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001RLQO38/ ... UTF8&psc=1 on order for this year. I don't think it will hold up without some more tiedowns but I enjoy modifying stuff like this amd making it work.
Kelty has some interesting shade structures too.